18 August 2023 , 11:33
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Liverpool have signed Wataru Endo from Stuttgart in an €18million (£15.4m) deal.
The Japanese midfielder, 30, emerged as a shock transfer target for Jurgen Klopp's side after they failed to sign Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia. The youngsters both picked Chelsea over Liverpool earlier this week.
Liverpool's sporting director Jorg Schmadtke, who was appointed in May and is an expert of the German market, has led the club's acquisition of Endo. Schmadtke may still quit his one-year contract with the Reds at the end of this summer's transfer window.
Endo arrives on Merseyside as Japan's captain. He's won 50 senior caps for his country and has previously played in Belgium for Sint-Truiden after spending much of his career in Japan. The experienced star has played nearly 500 senior games for club and country.
"I'm very happy right now and I'm so excited to join a big club in Liverpool," he said after completing the move, with the midfielder inheriting Fabinho's No.3 shirt at Anfield.
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"It feels amazing and this is my dream. It's always [been] a dream to play [in the] Premier League and with one of the biggest clubs in the world. It's a dream come true for me. "It's going to be the first time for me that I play at Anfield. I can't wait to play at Anfield in front of Liverpool fans."
Endo will offer Liverpool leadership and some much-needed experience in midfield. Fabinho and Jordan Henderson both left Merseyside for Saudi Arabia earlier this summer, leaving Klopp with just one midfielder over the age of 25 in Thiago Alcantara.
Liverpool's need for a central midfielder was obvious throughout last season, as they finished fifth in the Premier League. They also lost three midfielders at the start of the summer after James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita were released.
Endo turns 31 next February (Getty Images)What do you make of Liverpool's decision to sign Wataru Endo? Let us know in the comments below!
Klopp countered this by signing young pair Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai from Brighton and RB Leipzig respectively. Yet the Liverpool manager's plans were thrown into chaos when Fabinho and Henderson received lucrative offers from the Saudis.
On the addition, Klopp said: "Wataru is a really good player. I know in this world of football how it goes and stuff like this, but have a look, have a look, because he's a really good player.
"If he's not 30, firstly, I am not sure we get him. Second, he was always on my list, just usually we don't sign players of this age group. He is obviously a top fit and we will have a lot of fun with him."